Positions of Prayer (Part 3) “Hands Raised”

This column is a shock for me. I think I am the one most blessed for it. When I first did a count of the times I read in the Bible of hands raised in prayer I found about a dozen times.

I have now found 146 times hands are raised in prayer to God in the Bible !
When I started to work on this column I checked the Hebrew for a verse for some reason. When I read the English and then saw the Hebrew word I realized what was hidden. The two words in the Hebrew that speaks of hands raised or uplifted has been translated in the King James version of the Bible as:

I was totally shocked to realize that the word meant uplifted hands. See below:
Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary
3034 yadah (yaw-daw’); A primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027; literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands ); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands):

Another word used is: 8426 towdah (to-daw’); From 3034; properly, an extension of the hand , i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers:

King James Version translates it — confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks (thanksgiving, offering).
The following word is also used:

3709 kaph (kaf); From 3721; the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-tree); figuratively, power:

There is no question as to the meaning of these words in Hebrew in the Old Testament or Greek in the New Testament; however translators have sought to use different words in English to interpret the same word.

I sat in shock. I then kept checking by running a search using Englishman’s. It searches for each use of the word in Hebrew or Greek no matter how it is translated in English. A huge list of scriptures came up.
I then went to check in the Heritage Bible and saw that it expressed the word in its original way. I phoned Dr. Gwin Turner, my pastor and a Bible scholar and mighty man of God. We had a long talk and discussed as to why these words as well as last week’s position for praying prostrate was not expressed in English Bibles in a consistent manner.

I worked for three days completing this list. I am simply shocked and amazed that hands uplifted is so often mentioned in the Bible. I have gone to church all my life, attended a Christian College and to seminary for a while. I have studied the Bible all my life but never knew there was so much said on the subject from the scripture until I got to looking into the word in Hebrew and Greek.

I grew up in a church, went to a college and seminary where we called ourselves ‘people of the Book’. If the Bible says it we believe it! I was never taught nor saw practiced what these last two columns have shown from the Word of God. It took me a longtime to find this truth.

Many of you also have grown up in a religious culture where uplifted hands or lying prostrate is not practiced or even tolerated. It is hard for us to feel comfortable with these ways of praying but now you and I are confronted with what the scripture says and you cannot say you never knew.

I have now gone through the Bible and I think this list is very complete. You may find more scriptures that I’ve missed and would love for you to let me know so I can include them.
I just have never heard nor can I find a complete list of all these prayer positions. But God willing, soon you can print off the columns on this subject and have a complete list.

This has taken me so much time! I trust you will be blessed.
The only Bible that I know that seeks always to be faithful to the Hebrew or Greek word ‘all’ the time is the Heritage Bible. It can be found on the web at: http://www.cathedraluniversity.com/heritagebible/index.asp
Dr. Gwin Turner is also on my board of directors.
Here we will just let the scripture say what is says.
Heritage Bible in Italics: New King James in regular print.

Genesis 14:22 “And Abram said to the king of Sodom , I have raised up my hand to Jehovah, the most high God, the one who erected the heavens and earth.’

Genesis 29:35 “And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she said, now I will raise my hands to Jehovah.’

Genesis 22:50 “Therefore, Oh Jehovah, I will raise my hands to you among the peoples, and I will play, singing praises to your name.’

Exodus 9:29 “And Moses said to him, As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out the palms of my hands to Jehovah; the voice shall cease, and there shall not be any more hail, so that you may know by seeing that the earth is Jehovah’s.’

Exodus 9: 33 “And Moses went out of the city with Pharaoh, and spread out the palms of his hands to Jehovah; and the voices and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured out on the earth.’

Exodus 29:24 “And you shall put all upon the palms of Aaron, and upon the palms of his sons, and shall wave them a wave offering before the face of Jehovah’

Leviticus 7:12
“If he brings it near for a raising of his hand to Jehovah, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of raising his hand unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and fried cakes of flour mixed with oil.’

Leviticus 7:13 “Besides the cakes, he shall bring his offering of leavened food with the sacrifice of raising his hand in thanksgiving.’

Leviticus 7:15 “As to the flesh of the sacrifice of his raising his hand in thanksgiving, it is eaten in the day of its offering; he shall not deposit any of it until the dawn.

Leviticus 22:29 “And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of raising your hand to Jehovah, sacrifice it at your pleasure.’

Leviticus 8: 27,28 “And he put the whole on Aaron’s palms and on his sons’ palms, and waved them for a wave offering before the face of Jehovah. And Moses took them from off their palms, and burned them as perfumed incense on the altar on the burnt offering; they, were consecrations for a restful fragrance; it was a burnt offering to Jehovah.’

1Kings 8: 22 “And Solomon stood before the face of the altar of Jehovah in front of all the congregation of Israel , and spread out his palms toward the heavens.’

1 Kings 8:22 “And Solomon stood before the face of the altar of Jehovah in front of all the congregation of Israel , and spread out his palms toward the heavens.’

1 Kings 8:33 “When your people Israel are struck down before the face of those hating you, because they have sinned against you, and shall turn again to you, and hold out their hand to your name, and judge in prayer, and stoop down asking you for grace in this house.’

1 Kings 8:35 “When the heavens hold back, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, if they judge in prayer toward this place, and raise their hand to your name, and turn from their sin.’

I Kings 8:38 “Whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel , when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his palms toward this temple.’

I Kings 8:54 And it was, when Solomon ended judging in prayer all this prayer and stooping down to Jehovah for grace, he rose from before the face of the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling on his knees with his palms spread out to the heavens.’

1 Chronicles 16:4 “And he gave out of the Levites to minister before the face of the ark of Jehovah, and to remember, and to raise the hands, and boast in Jehovah God of Israel .’

1 Chronicles 16:7 “Then on that day David gave the head position into the hand of Asaph, and his brothers, to raise the hands to Jehovah.’

1 Chronicles 16:8 “Raise your hands to Jehovah; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people.’

1 Chronicles 16:34 “Raise your hands to Jehovah for his goodness, for his mercy is forever.’

1 Chronicles 16:35 “And say, Save us, Oh, God of our salvation, and gather us together; and snatch us from the peoples, that we may raise our hands to your holy name, to be loud in your praise.’

1 Chronicles 16:41 “To raise their hands to Jehovah, because his mercy is forever.’

1 Chronicles 25:4 Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to raise the hands and to boast in Jehovah’.

2 Chronicles 5: 13 “And it was as they blew on the trumpets and sang they were attentively heard as one boasting in, and raising their hands to, Jehovah; and they raised up their voice with the trumpets, and cymbals, and instruments of music, and boasted in Jehovah.’

2 Chronicles 6:12 “And he stood before the face of the altar of Jehovah in the front of all the congregation of Israel , and spread out his palms.’

2 Chronicles 6:13 “Because Solomon had made a bronze platform of five cubits long, and five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and gave it in the midst of the court; and he stood upon it, and knelt down upon his knees in front of all the congregation of Israel, and spread out his palms toward the heavens.’

2 Chronicles 6:24 “And if your people, Israel , are pushed backward before the face of those hating them because they have sinned against you, and shall return, and raise their hand to your name, and judge in prayer, and shall stoop down asking for grace before your face in this house.’

2 Chronicles 6:26 “When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you, if they judge in prayer toward this place, and raise their hand to your name, and turn from their sin.’

2 Chronicles 6: 29“Every prayer and every stooping down asking for grace that shall be made by any man and of all your people, Israel, when everyone shall know by seeing his own blow and his own sorrow, and shall spread out his palms in this house.’

2 Chronicles 7:3 “And all the children of Israel saw the fire come down and the heavy glory of Jehovah upon the house, and they bent down on their knees with their nostrils to the ground upon the pavement, and prostrated themselves, and raised their hands to Jehovah, because of his goodness, because of his eternal mercy.

2 Chronicles 7:6 “And the priests stood in their guard duty, the Levites also with instruments of singing for Jehovah which David, the king, had made to raise their hands to Jehovah, because of his eternal mercy when David led them in boasting with their hands; and the priests sounded trumpets before them and all Israel stood.’

2 Chronicles 20:21 “And he consulted with the people, and he stood singers to Jehovah, and they boasted in the beauty of holiness as they went out before the face of those equipped with arms, and saying, Raise your hands to Jehovah, because his mercy is forever.

2 Chronicles 29: 31 “And Hezekiah answered and said, At this time you have filled your hand to Jehovah; come near and bring sacrifices, and raise your hands in the house of Jehovah. And the congregation brought in sacrifices, and raised their hands; and everyone of a generous heart brought burnt offerings.’

2 Chronicles 30:22 “And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites who made the good knowledge of Jehovah intelligently successful, and they ate the feast seven days, sacrificing sacrifices of peace offerings, and raising their hands to Jehovah God of their fathers.’

2 Chronicles 31:2 “And Hezekiah stood the divisions of the priests and the Levites upon their divisions, every man according to the mouth of his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to raise their hands, and to boast in the gates of the encampment of Jehovah.’

2 Chronicles 33:16 “And he built the altar of Jehovah, and sacrificed there sacrifices of peace, and raised their hands, and said to Judah to serve Jehovah God of Israel .’

Ezra 3:11 “And they answered in boasting in and raising their hands to Jehovah, because he is good, because his mercy is forever upon Israel ; and all the people shouted a great shout, boasting in Jehovah.’

Ezra 9:5 “I rose up from my looking upon myself with harshness, and having torn my garment and my cloak, I bent down upon my knees, and spread out my palms to Jehovah my God’

Ezra 10:1 “And when Ezra had judged in prayer, and when he had raised his hands, weeping, and falling before the face of the house of God, there assembled to him out of Israel a very great congregation of men, and women, and children, because the people wept, making great weeping.’

Ezra 10: 11“And now raise your hands to Jehovah God of your fathers, and do his pleasure.’

Nehemiah 1:6 “Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may attentively hear the prayer of your servant, which I judge in prayer before your face today, day and night over the children of Israel, your servants, and raise our hands confessing the sins of the children of Israel.’

Nehemiah 9:2 “And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all children of strangers, and stood and raised their hands, confessing their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.’

Nehemiah 9:3 “And they rose upon their place, and called out the book of the law of Jehovah, their God, a fourth of the day; and a fourth they raised their hands in confession, and prostrated themselves to Jehovah, their God.’

Nehemiah 11:17 “And Mattaniah, the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the head to begin to raise their hands in prayer.’

Nehemiah 12:24 “And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, the son of Kadmiel, and their brothers opposite them, to boast, to raise their hands, according to the commandment of David, the man of God.’

Nehemiah 12:27 “And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places to bring them to Jerusalem, to make the dedication with gladness, and with raising their hands, and with singing, with cymbals, lyres, and with harps.’

Nehemiah 12:31 “And I brought up the chief rulers of Judah upon the wall, and stood two choirs of them who raised their hands.’

Nehemiah 12:38 “And the second choir of them who raised their hands walked opposite them.’

Nehemiah 12: 40 “And the two choirs of them who raise their hands in the house of God stood.’

Nehemiah 12:46 “Because in the days of David and Asaph of old were heads of the singers, and songs of praise, and raising their hands to God.’

Psalms 7: 17 “I will raise my hands to Jehovah for his righteousness, and will sing with playing instruments to the name of Jehovah most high.’

Psalms 9:1“I will raise my hands to you, Oh Jehovah, with my whole heart; I will tally up all your wonders.’

Psalms 18: 49 “Therefore, Oh Jehovah, I will raise my hands among the peoples to you, and sing with playing instruments to your name.’

Psalms 26:7 “Oh Jehovah, That I may cause the sound of raising our hands to be attentively heard, and tally up all your wonders.’

Psalms 28 :2 “Attentively hear the voice of my earnest prayer for grace, when I cry for help to you, when I lift up my hands toward your holy oracular sanctuary.’

Psalms 28:7 “Jehovah is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts him, and I am surrounded with help; and my heart jumps for joy; and I will raise my hands to him with my song.’

Psalms 30:4 “Sing with playing instruments to Jehovah, Oh you merciful ones of his, and raise your hands at the remembrance of his holiness.’

Psalms 30:12 “In order that my heavy glory may sing with playing instruments to you, and not be still. Oh Jehovah, my God, I will raise my hands to you forever.’

Psalms 32: 5 “I made my sin known to you, and I have not covered my iniquity; I said, I will hold up my hand in confession of my transgressions to Jehovah, and you lifted the iniquity of my sin.’

Psalms 33:2

“Raise up your hands to Jehovah with harp; sing with playing instruments to him.’

Psalms 35:18 “I will raise my hands in the great congregation’

Psalms 42:4 “These I remember, and I pour out my soul within me, because I had crossed over with the crowd; I walked gently with them to the house of God, with the voice of a shout of joy, and raising of hands, a noisy crowd that circled in the festival.’

Psalms 42: 5 “Why are you sunk down, Oh my soul, and why are you making this tumultuous sound within me? Wait with hope in God, because I shall yet raise my hands to him for the salvation before his face. Oh my God,’

Psalms 42:11 “Why are you sunk down, Oh my soul, and why are you in a tumultuous uproar within me? Wait with hope in God, because I shall yet raise my hands to him, the salvation of my face and my God.’

Psalms 43:4 “And I will go to the altar of God, to God, the rejoicing of my spinning around with emotion; and I will raise my hands to you with the harp, Oh God, my God.’

Psalms 43:5 Why are you sunk down, Oh my soul, and why are you in a tumultuous uproar within me? Wait with hope in God, because I shall yet raise my hands to him, who is the salvation of my face and my God.’

Psalms 44: 8 “In God we boast all the day, and raise our hands to your name forever.’

Psalms 45:17 “I will make your name to be remembered in each generation to generation; therefore the people shall raise their hands to you forever and ever.’

Psalms 49:18 “Because while he lived he blessed his soul, and men will raise their hands to you.’

Psalms 50:14 Sacrifice to God by raising your hands, and complete your vows to the Most High.’

Psalms 107: 1 “Oh raise your hands to Jehovah, because he is good, because his mercy is forever.’

Psalms 107:8 “Raise your hands to Jehovah for his mercy and for his wonders to the children of Adam.’

Psalms 107:15 “Raise your hands to Jehovah for his mercy, and for his wonders to the children of Adam!’

Psalms 107:21 “Raise your hands to Jehovah for his mercy and for his wonders to the children of Adam!’

Psalms 107:22 “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of raising their hands, and tally up his works with shouting.’

Psalms 107:31 “Raise your hands to Jehovah for his mercy, and for his wonders to the children of Adam.’

Psalms 108:3 “I will raise my hands to you, Oh Jehovah, among the peoples, and I will sing with playing to you among the communities.’

Psalms 109:30 “I will raise my hands exceedingly to Jehovah with my mouth, and I will boast in him in the midst of the multitude.’

Psalms 111: 1 “Boast in Jehovah. I will raise my hands to Jehovah with my whole heart, in the assembled counsel of the upright, and in the congregation.’

Psalms116: 17 “I will sacrifice the sacrifice of raising my hands to you, and I will call upon the name of Jehovah.’

Psalms 118: 1 “Oh raise your hands to Jehovah, because he is good, because his mercy is forever.

Psalms 118:19 “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go into them; I will raise my hands to Jehovah.’

Psalms 118:21 “I will raise my hands to you, because you have answered me, and are my salvation.’

Psalms 118:28 “You are my God, and I will raise my hands to you; my God, I will exalt you.’

Psalms 118:29 “Oh raise your hands to Jehovah, because he is good, because his mercy is forever.’

Psalms 119:7 “When I have learned your righteous judgments I will raise my hands to you with uprightness of heart.’

Psalms 119:62

“In the middle of the night I will rise to raise my hands to you because of your righteous judgments.’

Psalms 122: 4

“Where the tribes go up, the tribes of Jehovah, to the testimony of Israel, to hold out the hand to the name of Jehovah.’

Psalms 134:2

“Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless Jehovah.’

Psalms 136: 1

“Hold out your hand to Jehovah, because he is good, because his mercy is forever.’

Psalms 136:2

“Oh hold out your hand to the God of gods, because his mercy is forever.’

Psalms 136:3

“Hold out your hand to the Lord of lords, because his mercy is forever.’

Psalms 136: 26

“Hold out your hand to the God of the heavens, because his mercy is forever.’

Psalms 138:1

“I will hold out my hand to you with my whole heart; I will sing and play to you in front of gods.

Psalms 138:2

“I will prostrate myself toward your holy temple, and hold out my hand to your name for your mercy, and for your truth.’

Psalms 138:3,3

“In the day I called out and you answered me, you emboldened my soul strongly.

They shall hold out their hand to you, Oh Jehovah – all the kings of the earth – because they will attentively hear the sayings of your mouth.’

Psalms 139: 14

“I will hold out my hand to you, because I am awesome, distinct; your works are distinguished, and my soul knows it very strongly.’

Psalms 140:13

“Surely the righteous shall hold out their hand to your name.’

Psalms 142:7

“Bring my soul out of prison that I may hold out my hand to your name.’

Psalms 143:6

“I spread out my hands to you; my soul is as a land languishing in thirst after you.’

Psalms 145: 10

“All your works will hold out their hand to you, Oh Jehovah, and your merciful ones shall bless you.’

Psalms 147:7

“Answer Jehovah with raising your hands; sing and play to our God upon the harp.’

Proverbs 28:13

“He who covers his transgression shall not prosper, and whoever holds up his hand and forsakes it shall receive compassion.’

Isaiah 12: 1

“And you shall say in that day, I will hold out my hand to you, Oh Jehovah.’

Isaiah 12:4

“And you shall say in that day, Hold out your hand to Jehovah; call upon his name; make known his exploits among the people; remember that his name is exalted.’

Isaiah 25: 1

“Oh Jehovah, you are my God! I will exalt you! I will hold out my hand to your name! Because you have done a marvel!’

Jeremiah 17:26

“And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from all around Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the coastal slopes, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and food offerings, and frankincense, and coming with hands extended to the house of Jehovah.’

Jeremiah 33: 11

“The voice of joy, and the voice of rejoicing, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them who shall say, Lift up your hands to Jehovah of hosts because Jehovah is good, because his mercy is forever. This shall be said of them who shall lift up their hands in the house of Jehovah because I will cause the exile of the land to turn back as at the first, says Jehovah.’

Lamentations 2:19 “Rise up! Shout out in the night; in the beginning of the night watches pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord; lift up to him your palms.’

Lamentations 3: 41 “We lift up our heart on our palms to God in the heavens.’

Ezekiel 20: “An oracle of the Lord Jehovah – there all the house of Israel shall serve me, all of them in the land; there I will be satisfied with them, and there I will tread seeking your offerings, and the first fruits of your raising of your hands in prayers with all your holy things.’

Daniel 2: 23 “I extend my hands to you, God of my fathers.’

Daniel 9: 4 “And I judged in prayer to Jehovah, my God, and held out my hand, and said, Oh Lord.’

Daniel 9:20 “And while I was speaking, and judging in prayer, and holding out my hand for my sin and the sin of my people, Israel, and falling down to ask for grace before the face of Jehovah, my God, for the holy mountain of my God.’

Jonah 2:9 “And I will sacrifice to you with the sound of extending my hands. I will make complete what I have promised. Salvation is of Jehovah.’

Amos 4:4,5 “Bring your sacrifices in the dawn, your tithes for three days; And burn perfumed incense with leaven with extending your hand.’

Luke 24:50 “And he led them out until to Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he blessed them.’

1Timothy 2:8 “I will therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, apart from wrath and reasoning.’

You have read and I pray deeply considered what the Bible is saying in the above scriptures. Remember this is not my idea it is in the Bible. Should God not consider it important then He would not have had ‘lifting hands in prayer’ spoken of in His Word.

Many things are only mentioned once or twice in the Bible yet it is a cornerstone of church practice. Think about how often tithing or meeting on Sunday is mentioned in the New Testament.

As you have read these scriptures you will note that only two of these many scriptures are in the New Testament. Just consider that Jesus lifted up His Hands and prayed a blessing. That is good enough for me.

Then consider that the message in 1 Timothy above desired for ‘all men pray in every place lifting up holy hands’. This seemed to be common practice as lifting up of the hands was so common in Jewish prayer and praise as you see in the many scriptures above.

Thanks for all the e-mails. I am keeping them and will post your comments before I conclude this subject. So feel free to give input. Many of you have written to me and it is wonderful what is happening in your life.

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Arthur Blessitt has carried the cross around the world in every nation and is listed in the Guinness World Records for the world’s longest walk over 42,788 miles 68,860 km, in 324 countries, island groups & territories for 51 years.